July 23, 2007

Olympia Port Militarization Resistance achieved a significant victory this weekend in the city's refusal to host naval warships at the port for Lakefair.

In preparation for their annual event in downtown Olympia, organizers for Lakefair committed the mistake of inviting naval warships: the U.S.S. Ingraham and the Canadian vessels HCMS Saskatoon and HCMS Whitehorse. It was the intent of people like Lakefair president Teri Chmielewski to bring the warships to our port to honor our military. But in accordance with our stated intentions to keep the military out of our port, PMR established a quick response designed to point out Lakefair's errors in conducting such a divisive, provocative invitation.

With support from Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace, Veterans for Peace and the support of our community, the commitment to our democratic obligations prevailed. Several members of these organizations and members of the community attended Olympia City Council, Port of Olympia Commission and Lakefair committee meetings to display their dissatisfaction.

At an Olympia City Council meeting on July 10, an overwhelming majority of the public attending vocally opposed the ships’ presence at Lakefair. Under the impetus of our economic obligation to resist, even city council members questioned the Lakefair organizers’ hasty plans to ask for and expect financing for an increased amount of security to counter “protesters”.

Herein lies PMR's outstanding achievement. Our sustained resistance has shown other port towns the impracticality of consenting to military operations when the public doesn't want them around. The community of Olympia in resistance to war has established a reputation so non-violent, practical and forthright that we now have the power to prevent 'war as usual' operations from being conducted beyond the point of consideration.